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wind reservoirs, the wind pressures being set as: ‘ordinary flue work’ 3½ins; Choir 3ins; Great and Pedal reeds 7ins; Swell reeds 6ins; Solo 5ins; Tuba 12ins. In 1912 the Pedal Open Diapason 16ft (metal) was replaced with a new rank, of 11¾ins scale at CCC. In 1924 Hill, Norman & Beard produced a leaflet about the organ, from which its original specification can be gleaned.

In 1930 the Solo box was extended to enclose the entire department including the Tuba – which it still does. During 1948-50 the Hill was rebuilt with electro-pneumatic action by Hill, Norman & Beard. A new console, using the 1909 Hill stop-knobs as far as they would go, was installed at the south east end of the chancel. The north case was extended across the north aisle to contain the Solo organ; the Pedal reed unit 32/16/8 was moved to within the arch north of the organ, the Lathom Chapel being reclaimed for planned use ‘…as a War Memorial to the men and women of Selby’ [1947 Abbey Guide]. The Pedal stopped 16ft Sub Bass pipes were relocated on the roof of the Solo box and the treble of the Open Wood was placed east of the Solo. The bottom seventeen notes of the 32ft Open Wood were

relocated horizontally in the north nave triforium, with a new Discus blower. The Choir organ filled the base of the north case, was augmented with a Dulciana unit (using the existing Dulciana rank with 24 extra pipes) 8,4,22/3,2,III, and became enclosed in a swell-box; a Tierce was mounted on the vacated Dulciana slide. The Choir flues were revoiced to give them ‘a little firmer tone’ (Abbey organist Walter Hartley, in The Organ quarterly journal, January 1953). The Great Posaune was revoiced and placed on an elevated Roosevelt unit chest; an Octave 4ft was installed in its place, regulated to balance the Open Diapason II. The original 4ft Principal was softened, to match the Open Diapason III, making these two stops usable for choir accompaniment, along with the Dolce and flutes 8/4. The Pedal Sub Bass/Bass Flute was extended up a further 12 notes to 4ft pitch. The Solo Tuba was revoiced with more sonority (by making more treble pipes ‘harmonic’ and by raising its wind pressure from 12ins to 15ins), as Hartley, whose brainchild this scheme was, considered it coarse and used it only with the Concert Open Diapason 8ft. In the event this solo Diapason was removed

and replaced by a Viole d’Orchestre and Octave Viole (a clamp slide was fitted for the latter). The Solo 4ft Harmonic Flute was made available at 8ft by piston only, which drew the stop at 4ft, with the Sub Octave and Unison Off couplers (it erroneously appeared in print on the Germani LP sleeves as a separate 8ft rank).

In 1955 the console was moved to its present position on the north side of the chancel, which heralded the period of the organ’s greatest fame – a fame resulting from a series of spectacular recordings by Fernando Germani, recordings which have a devoted following to this day. Franck, Reger, Frescobaldi, Widor, Liszt – all were recorded during 1962 and 1963 and issued by E.M.I. on three long-playing records. For many of my generation, Germani’s recording of the three Franck Chorals and the Reger Halleluja! Gott zu loben were definitive performances which inspired and informed our youthful attempts to play these great works.

Despite the fame of the Selby organ spreading far and wide following these wonderful recordings, changes – reflecting ‘neo-baroque’ leanings – were made to the organ from the mid

something old, something new

Left: The 1909 console Above: The Hill, Norman & Beard 1924 leaflet

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1960s to the 1990s. The Solo lost its 4ft Octave Viole, 4ft Harmonic Flute, 8ft Orchestral Oboe and 8ft Vox Humana, in favour of a Spitz Principal, Nazard, Blockfl ute and Larigot; a bright Trompette was added, too. A Scharff was added to the Swell (replacing the Bourdon); the Pedal gained upperwork, and the Choir was taken out of its box and its tonal scheme repeatedly tinkered with, the extended Dulciana unit eventually being removed.

Some sixty years after the superb 1950 Hill, Norman & Beard rebuild it became clear that similarly major work needed carrying out to the organ once more. The console was electrically and mechanically worn out – several knobs having been re-engraved so often that they looked appalling. The 1909 soundboards were in a terrible state; for reliability in the future they needed replacing. The 1950 (and later) wiring and electrical systems were on their last legs; the wind system leaked like a sieve, the 1909 reservoirs still being clothed with their original leather. The pipework was generally sound, despite some reed basses collapsing, though all was thoroughly dirty. Under-actions, stop actions and swell

machines were all struggling still to work effi ciently and the swell boxes themselves were far from being sound, as they had become something of a patchwork of panels. The beautiful oak cases needed cleaning and waxing but otherwise were in fi ne condition.

Tonally, it was considered that something of a return to the organ that Germani knew was the most appropriate route, without entirely dispensing with some useful later registers. The Choir organ was re-enclosed and refashioned as a smaller Swell organ, as the immense power of Hill’s Swell reeds overwhelms a choir; given back to the Solo were some of the romantic colours removed in the 1960s/70s; the smaller Pedal pipework was moved to better positions, rebalanced and revoiced, and derivations from the manuals were reconsidered and improved.

To give more details: the 1970 Great Sharp Mixture was improved and retained (it replaced an 8ft Dolce) as it adds so much to the chorus and, as well as helping project the Great down the nave, it also helps the fl ue chorus to stand up to the imperial Great reeds 16/8/4. The Swell, similarly, retained two Mixtures (completely

revised), which again help the fl ues to have some effect in the colossally powerful ‘Full Swell’.

In order to make the Choir organ much more useful, not only has it been re-enclosed, but an 8ft string (formerly on the Swell; long in store), a 4ft Gemshorn (Solo Spitz Principal revoiced), a Principal-toned Sesquialtera and a low-pitched Mixture have been incorporated. The rather close-toned so-called ‘Trompette’ has been replaced from 4ft C up by the 1970s Trompette from the Solo, revoiced calmer on the lower pressure. The already removed Dulciana unit was considered to be of little use so was not reinstated, thus leaving room for the other, more useful, new stops.

The Solo organ was even more of a challenge. On the one hand it was desired to restore some of the romantic colours lost since the 1950s, but on the other, a true ‘cornet séparé’ was considered as equally important a solo colour on an organ of this size. Principal Pipe Organs has cleverly managed to include both features, room being created by removing the useless Cymbel and the 16ft Contra Viola (which latterly had drawn only on the Pedal and had lost

something old, something new

Left: Article in 1951 Musical Opinion following the HN&B rebuild Above: The 1950 console

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its treble pipes), which took up a disproportionate amount of space. Thus a vintage 4ft Harmonic Flute has replaced the Spitz Principal, working remarkably well with the rare double-mouth 8ft Doppel Flute and the wide-scale Nazard (1975, revoiced with some nicking!), Piccolo (was 1975 Blockflute) and Tierce (was 1975 Larigot, later transposed to a Tierce). In addition an 8ft Viole Célestes has been added, using matching vintage pipes; a generously-scaled vintage 8ft Vox Humana too has been reinstated – so Germani’s Franck registrations can, at last, be recreated. Five Solo stops retain a 73-note compass, for use with the Octave/Unison off couplers.

The Pedal has lost its 16ft Contra Viola but gained a more neutral (and therefore more useful) soft double by borrowing the Great Bourdon. The ‘Great Bass’ 16ft was always borrowed from the Great 16ft Double Open Diapason; this rank is now available at 8ft too, so that the Pedal has an element of choruswork on both the south and the north sides of the chancel. The Pedal upperwork along with the

Sub Bass (previously on the roof of the Solo box!) has all been planted on a new chest, the Mixture being revised to 19.22.26.29 in the 16ft series, it and the Octave/Fifteenth rank being considerably loudened. Although these ranks are on the east side of the north case, they now can be heard in balance from the nave.

Such a building – such an organ – really needs a console in the nave, for all those grand services and concerts. A large four-manual console is, of course, enormously expensive, so, with reluctance, the idea was shelved (though allowance had been made for it – wisely – in the transmission and wiring). Then the miracle occurred: a suitable console became available. Just as PPO were halfway through the Selby project the 1950 Harrison & Harrison console from Manchester Cathedral became available. Funds were raised, the console purchased, and Geoffrey Coffin’s team completely rebuilt it for Selby’s nave. This console is not only perfect for the job (and a very handsome piece of furniture), it has an historic significance of its own

because organist of Manchester Cathedral Norman Cocker designed this console with curved stop-jambs (perhaps influenced by his ‘other job’ as a cinema organist). It was the first console built with curved jambs by H&H; on a visit to their Durham factory on Royal Festival Hall business Ralph Downes spotted this console being made and immediately asked H&H to build the RFH console also with curved jambs. And so organ history was made! The curved jambs remain (albeit with new jamb plates for fewer stops) and the console was made full use of during the opening concerto concert at Selby. How happily coincidental it is that both these grand consoles date from the same year – 1950.

Selby Abbey has made remarkable strides in the past fifteen years, the building to all intents and purposes reinventing itself, through a complete physical restoration and a vigorous programme of outreach and welcome. It is hard to believe now that in 2002 the Abbey was included in the World Monuments Watch List of ‘The World’s 100 Most Endangered Historic Sites’.

Above: the 1950 console, restored 2016

Paul Halesomething old, something new

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something old, something new

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All photos on this page, Paul Hale

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something old, something new

An appeal was launched for £4.5 million, estimated to be the cost of restoring the Abbey’s exterior fabric. The appeal was supported by English Heritage, the Heritage Lottery Fund and many other funds; thanks to the generosity of its many supporters, the final appeal target was reached in July 2008. Since then an extraordinary additional list of projects has been completed in addition to the external stonework: re-glazing of the fourteenth century Washington Window, replacement of the heating system, restoration and re-glazing of the great East Window and restoration of the East End, restoration of the Lathom Chapel, the North Choir Aisle and

the West End, new choir lighting and an upgrading of the electrical systems, bell augmentation and tower safety works, installation of modern lavatories, conservation and repair of the medieval North Porch, conservation and relocation of the Norman font and of the carillon (both on-going). One is full of admiration for these Herculean achievements.

The building now invites all comers through its welcoming west entrance; rarely is it that the cheery café in the north transept is not busy with locals and visitors. The Abbey dominates this historic market town in just the right way – promoting pride among the locals and proving a magnet

for those who enjoy its liturgy, fine music making (directed by Dr Roger Tebbet) and regular concerts. Now that its famous organ is undoubtedly sounding finer than at any time in its history, the stage is set for a new period of glory for one of Yorkshire’s ‘crown jewels’. Fernando Germani would doubtless have been delighted that the organ on which he made his most famous recordings is in glorious voice once more.

I encourage readers far and wide to make their way to Selby and savour its delights.

GREAT ORGAN 1 Double Open Diapason 16 2 Bourdon 16 3 Open Diapason I 8 4 Open Diapason II 8 5 Open Diapason III 8 6 Claribel Flute 8 7 Octave 4 8 Principal 4 9 Harmonic Flute 410 Twelfth 22/311 Fifteenth 212 Mixture 19.22.26.29 IV13 Sharp Mixture 29.33.36 III14 Contra Posaune 1615 Posaune 816 Clarion 4

SWELL ORGAN 17 Open Diapason 818 Rohr Flute 819 Echo Dulciana 820 Voix Célestes (GG) 821 Principal 422 Chimney Flute 423 Fifteenth 224 Mixture 15.19.22 III25 Mixture 19.22.26.29 IV26 Oboe 8 Tremulant27 Contra Fagotto 1628 Horn 829 Clarion 4

CHOIR ORGAN30 Geigen Principal 831 Lieblich Gedeckt 832 Viola 833 Gemshorn 434 Suabe Flute 435 Flautina 236 Sesquialtera 12.17 II37 Mixture 19.22 II38 Trompette 8 Tremulant39 Posaune (Great) 840 Tuba (Solo) 8

SOLO ORGAN 41 Doppel Flute 842 Viole d’Orchestre 843 Viole Célestes (GG) 844 Harmonic Flute 445 Nazard 22/346 Piccolo 247 Tierce 13/548 Clarinet 849 Vox Humana 8 Tremulant50 Tuba 8

PEDAL ORGAN51 Double Open Diapason 3252 Open Diapason (wood) 1653 Open Diapason (metal) 1654 Open Diapason (Great) 1655 Violone 1656 Sub Bass 1657 Bourdon (Great) 1658 Octave 859 Principal (Great) 860 Violoncello 861 Flute 862 Fifteenth 463 Stopped Flute 464 Mixture 19.22.26.29 IV65 Contra Trombone 3266 Trombone 1667 Fagotto (Swell) 1668 Trumpet 8

Wind pressures:Pedal, Great and Swell flues 3½insChoir flues 3insPedal and Great reeds 7insSwell reeds 6½insSolo main 5insSolo Tuba 17ins

Paul Hale is a professional organ consultant, recitalist and choral conductor.Whilst Organ Scholar of New College, Oxford (1971–4), Paul Hale began to write about the organ – his first published piece was in Organists’ Review, of which he was later to become Reviews Editor

and then Editor (1990–2005). A noted recitalist, lecturer and choir trainer, Paul is well-known in the UK, in Europe and in the USA. As well as being an Organ Adviser for the Dioceses of Southwell

and Lincoln, Paul is an accredited member of the AIOA and has designed many new and restored organs throughout the UK. He is a diploma examiner for the RCO, and has been awarded honorary fellowships by the GCM and the RSCM for his contribution to church music. More information is available at www.PaulHale.org

Specification as revised in 2016

Large image: The crossing and chancel from an elevated position in the naveInset top image: the north case (Choir Organ behind newly-pierced lower panels). Inset middle image: the south case glowing after its restoration. Inset bottom image: the 2016 nave console, formerly in Manchester Cathedral